Vehicle mounted fire fighting system

• US 5,836,398 A
• Filed: 08/05/1996
• Issued: 11/17/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: FAV Incorporated
• Original Assignee: FAV Incorporated
• Inventors: White, Richard W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoge, Gary C.
• Application Number:
  US08/695,219
• Time in Patent Office: 834 Days
• Field of Search: 169/24, 169/54, 169/62, 169/12, 169/91
• US Class Current: 169/24
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 27/00 Fire-fighting land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 3/0278 by creating zones devoid of flammable material

Abstract

A Fire Fighting System includes a vehicle with a plurality of mounted motors, a fire shield system, an emergency fire retardant discharge system, and a modular instrumentation assembly. The motors are equipped with a plurality of swinging cutting elements and severe duty fire whips. The fire shield system may include a series of flame and heat retardant coverings placed on all exposed parts of the system to prevent damage from exposure to extreme heat. The emergency fire retardant discharge system distributes chemical fire retardant in the event the fire comes too close to the system. The modular instrumentation system includes a series of video, radar, and infrared sensors which provide information of the fire environment to the operator of the system. In operation, the vehicle operator positions the system at the edge of a fire line and energizes the motors causing the cutting blade assembly and fire whips to begin rotating. Once they are rotating at full speed, the vehicle is advanced along the fire line with the cutting elements cutting and slashing the burning vegetation. Once cut, the burning vegetation is thrown aside by the severe-duty fire whips that rotate to throw the debris back towards the fire. Further, post-combustion air is blown at the burning debris to assist in extinguishing the fire and direct the debris out of the path of the system. Thus, as the Fire Fighting System advances along the fire line, a fire break is created which is devoid of any combustible material.

Claims

1. A fire fighting assembly, comprising:

a forward assembly mountable on a land-based vehicle forwardly movable over terrain and extendable therefrom in a forward direction of movement of said vehicle;

at least one rotary power drive, each said rotary power drive having a rotatable shaft, each shaft having an axis of rotation parellel to said terrain and parellel to said forward direction of movement, each said rotary power drive mounted to said forward assembly such that said rotatable shaft extends away from said forward assembly and said vehicle in said forward direction; and

a plurality of elongated members, each said elongated member having a hub, said hub being attached to said rotatable shaft wherein rotating said rotatable shaft causes said hub to rotate, said elongated member having a radius of rotation extendable to said terrain whereby a portion of an elongated member strikes said terrain to sweep debris while said vehicle moves over said terrain.

2. A fire fighting assembly as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

at least one air nozzle mounted to said forward assembly such that said air nozzle extends away from said forward assembly and said vehicle in said forward direction; and

an air source, said air source providing pressurized air and being in fluid communication with said air nozzle wherein said air from said air source is forced though said air nozzle to blow out a fire.

3. A fire fighting assembly as recited in claim 2, wherein said air from said air source is post-combustion air.

4. A fire fighting system, comprising:

a land-based vehicle movable over terrain in a forward direction;

a rotary assembly having at least one elongated member rotatably mounted on said vehicle with respect to an axis of rotation parallel to said terrain and parallel to said forward direction and rotating substantially in a plane perpendicular to said terrain and perpendicular to said forward direction; and

a power drive for rotating said elongated member, said elongated member having a radius of rotation extendable to said terrain whereby a portion of said elongated member strikes said terrain to sweep debris while said vehicle moves over said terrain.

5. A fire fighting system as recited in claim 4, further comprising an emergency fire retardant discharge system.

6. A fire fighting system as recited in claim 5, wherein said emergency fire retardant discharge system further comprises:

a sealable fluid container;

a volume of fire retardant fluid in said sealable fluid container;

a flow tube, said flow tube having a first end and a second end, said first end being submerged into said volume of fire retardant fluid and said second end extending out of said sealable fluid container;

a nozzle attached to said second end of said flow tube and in fluid communication therewith; and

a means for pressurizing said sealable fluid container to force said fire retardant fluid through said flow tube and out through said nozzle to extinguish a fire.

7. A fire fighting system as recited in claim 6, wherein said means for pressurizing said sealable fluid container comprises:

at least one pressurized container, said pressurized container containing a gas; and

a means for puncturing said pressurized container wherein said gas escapes said pressurized container and enters said sealable fluid container to pressurize said sealable fluid container to force said fire retardant fluid through said flow tube and out through said nozzle to extinguish a fire.

8. A fire fighting system as recited in claim 4, further comprising:

a video camera, said video camera being mounted to said vehicle and having a first electronic output signal; and

a first monitor, said monitor receiving said first electronic output signal and generating an image therefrom, said first monitor being positioned on said vehicle to allow viewing by the fire fighting system operator.

9. A fire fighting system as recited in claim 4, further comprising:

an infrared video camera, said infrared video camera being mounted to said vehicle and having a second electronic output signal; and

a monitor, said monitor receiving said second electronic output signal and generating an image therefrom, said monitor being positioned on said vehicle to allow viewing by the fire fighting system operator.

10. A fire fighting system as recited in claim 4, further comprising:

a plurality of temperature sensors, each said temperature sensor being mounted to said vehicle and having an electronic output signal; and

a plurality of temperature gauges, one said temperature gauge electrically connected to one said temperature sensor, said temperature gauge being positioned on said vehicle to allow viewing by the vehicle operator.

11. A fire fighting system as recited in claim 4, further comprising:

a two-way radio, said two-way radio mounted near the vehicle operator to facilitate communication between the operator of said vehicle and other fire fighting forces.

12. A fire fighting system as recited in claim 4, further comprising:

a global positioning system (GPS) receiver, said GPS receiver having an electronic output signal;

a monitor, said monitor being electronically connected to said electronic output signal of said GPS receiver to generate an image therefrom, said monitor being positioned on said vehicle to allow viewing by the fire fighting system operator.

13. A fire fighting system as recited in claim 4, further comprising a compass, said compass being position on said vehicle to allow viewing by the fire fighting system operator.

14. A fire fighting system as recited in claim 4, wherein said rotary assembly comprises:

a forward assembly, said forward assembly mountable on said vehicle and extendable therefrom;

at least one rotary power drive, each said rotary power drive having a rotatable shaft, each said rotary power drive mounted to said forward assembly such that said rotatable shaft extends away from said forward assembly and said vehicle; and

a plurality of elongated members, each said elongated member having a hub, said hub being attached to said rotatable shaft wherein rotating said rotatable shaft causes said hub to rotate.

15. A fire fighting system as recited in claim 14, wherein said rotary assembly further comprises:

a plurality of blade brackets, each said blade bracket extending from one of said elongated members and defining an angle therebetween, said blade bracket extending away from said hub, and being formed with a pivot hole;

at least one swinging cutting blade, said cutting blade having a first end and a second end, said first end being formed with a mounting hole; and

a pivot pin, said pin insertable through said pivot hole and said mounting hole wherein said cutting blade may freely pivot on said pivot pin.

16. A fire fighting system as recited in claim 14, wherein said rotary assembly further comprises:

at least one fire whip, each said fire whip extending radially from one of said elongated members to sweep vegetation aside when said blade support is rotated.

17. A fire fighting system, comprising:

a land-based vehicle forwardly movable over terrain;

a tee bar assembly, said tee bar assembly mountable on said vehicle and extendable therefrom in a forward direction of movement of said vehicle;

at least one rotary power drive, each said rotary power drive having a rotatable shaft, each said rotary power drive mounted to said tee bar assembly such that said rotatable shaft extends away from said tee bar assembly and said vehicle;

a plurality of rotary assemblies, each said rotary assembly having a hub, said hub being attached to said rotatable shaft wherein rotating said rotatable shaft causes said hub to rotate;

at least one support, one said support extending radially from said hub such that rotating said hub causes said support to rotate in a plane; and

at least one cutting blade, said cutting blade attached to said support and having a radius of rotation extendable to said terrain whereby said cutting blade strikes said terrain to sweep debris while said vehicle moves forwardly over said terrain.

18. A fire fighting system for fighting fires, comprising:

a vehicle;

a tee bar assembly, said tee bar assembly mountable on said vehicle and extendable therefrom;

at least one rotary power drive, each said rotary power drive having a rotatable shaft, each said rotary power drive mounted to said tee bar assembly such that said rotatable shaft extends away from said tee bar assembly and said vehicle;

a plurality of rotary assemblies, each said rotary assembly having a hub, said hub being attached to said rotatable shaft wherein rotating said rotatable shaft causes said hub to rotate;

at least one support, one said support extending radially from said hub such that rotating said hub causes said support to rotate in a plane; and

at least one fire whip, each said fire whip extending radially from said blade support to sweep vegetation aside when said blade support is rotated.